Spirit and Story

September 11^th was a devastating day for people all across the nation.  The effects of the day were not only physical, but many people were emotionally affected, too.  Religion played a variety of roles with regard to 9/11.  Many of those who were affected by the horrible tragedy looked to religion for support and comfort, while others believed that religion was to blame.

On the one hand, after September 11^th, people reached out to their churches, synagogues, and other places of worship.  They were seeking the comfort of other people as well as spiritual guidance to help them deal with the destruction, pain, and vulnerability that they were feeling.  On the other hand, it was religion in the form of radical Islamic fundamentalism that had inspired other people to blow up the two towers and kill thousands. Thus 9/11 confronted Americans with the fact that religion and belief in God has two sides: a violent and destructive side, as well as a loving and compassionate side.  These two sides of religious faith have been apparent since the time of the Bible.  The same Bible that commands the Israelites to love thy neighbor as thyself also commands the Israelites to exterminate all the Canaanites when they enter the land of Canaan.  All religions include these two contradictory sides of religious faith.  Christians believe in a God of love, yet in the name of this same God they carried out the bloody Crusades.  Jews believe in a God who tells us to choose life, and yet Yigal Amir believed that same God commanded him to kill Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin who was working for peace in the Middle East.  

September 11^th invites us to reflect upon the complex and contradictory ways in which religion shapes human life and behavior.  Religion can bring out the very best in people -- including love, empathy, and compassion; but it can also lead to death, murder, and hatred, all of which were in evidence on September 11^th.  The passion of religious commitment drove terrorists to kill thousands, and the passion of religious commitment drove thousands to offer their love and support to help people overcome the tragedy.  Reflecting on 9/11 we must ask ourselves – and decide by our actions -- which side of religion will win out for us?    

(Gabi Kula is a student at the Abraham Joshua Heschel High School in New York City.)

To join the conversation at Spirit and Story Talk, click here.

To access the Spirit and Story Archive, click here.

To receive the Spirit and Story column by email on a regular basis, complete the box below:

Receive CLAL Spirit and Story!